Life Less Ordinary ~ books about teens who stand out from the crowd

• An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
  Poor Colin hasn’t had much luck with dating. He’s been dumped 19 times...all by girls named Katherine! Nothing like a road trip with your best friend to try and heal your broken heart...and figure out why you keep getting dumped! John Green is hands down one of the best Young Adult authors out there! This book earned multiple starred reviews and a Printz Honor award.
• Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  This book is a perfect example of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” This high-flying novel has everything a great adventure should...daring rescues, thrilling escapes, pirates, and a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. Winner of a Governor General's award. Also look for the follow-up books, Skybreaker and Starclimber.
• The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, vol. 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson
  Octavian is a African slave sent to American to receive, as an experiment, a classical education usually reserved for the “elite”. As the Revolutionary War unfolds, Octavian runs away to join the army and experiences the horrors of what it means to be a slave in 18th century America. This brilliantly written novel also provides insightful commentary on today’s society and our notion of history. Also try volume 2, Kingdom on the Waves. Both are multi-award winners.
• Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
  When 15-year old Lizzie is killed, she travels to the afterlife, called Elsewhere, and tries to figure out how to “live” in her new surroundings. A powerful story about life, and life after death. Winner of multiple starred reviews...and one of my all-time favourites!
• Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
  Earth is about to be invaded by a hostile alien race. The defense plan? Train an army of children! Ender Wiggen is the unlikely candidate recruited to join the troops. Even if you don’t normally like science fiction, I DARE you not to love this book!
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
  Kat’s little sister is ordered to compete in the Hunger Games...a reality TV series kind of like Survivor, but instead of getting voted off, you die! Kat volunteers to take her place and, with TV cameras following her every move, fights to stay alive.
• I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusack
  Ed Kennedy’s life isn’t exactly exciting...he spends all his time hanging out with his dog, driving his taxi and playing cards with his friends. When mysterious, coded messages show up in his mailbox, he is sent on a series of tasks that will change his life. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You by Ally Carter
  Cammie goes to a prestigious all-girls private school...but it’s not just any private school. It’s a secret school for spies! All of the girls are spies in training, which makes leading a “normal” life a little difficult. It’s a fun, light-hearted adventure...if you were to mix James Bond with Harry Potter with the girls from Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, this is the novel you’d get!
• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
  When the moon is hit by a meteor and bumped out of its normal orbit, life on Earth is horrifyingly altered. Worldwide tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, ice storms… chaos. Miranda describes in her diary how she and her family struggle to survive. Also check out the sequel, “The Dead and the Gone” that tells the same story, but from the perspective of a boy in New York City.
• Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier
  Australian teen, Reason, must go live with her “wicked” grandmother, Esmeralda, in Sydney after her mother has a mental breakdown. While trying to escape from Esmeralda, Reason runs through a door...only to find herself in New York City. This magical adventure is the award-winning first book of a trilogy (followed by Magic Lessons and Magic’s Child).
• Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins
  A “fallen angel” (demon) named Kiriel is bored with Hell and decides to take over the body and life of a slacker teen who has just been hit by a cement truck. Even though he’s breaking all the rules, Kiriel is determined to experience life as a human teen and have a positive impact on the people around him. Winner of a Printz Honor award.
• Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman
  Imagine high school and dating...when your dad is a mafia leader! Life is certainly “interesting” for Vince Luca. Oh, and did I mention that the girl he’s fallen for is the daughter of an FBI agent?! Funny man Gordon Korman at his best! Also check out the sequel, Hollywood Hustle for more adventures as Vince heads off to college.

Don’t forget to fill out your own reviews of these books for a chance to win some great prizes!

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

Talk about not judging a book by its cover!

I have to admit, I'm guilty of choosing (or in this case, NOT choosing) books based on their cover. Even though "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow" is on the Books with Bite list, I shied away from it, thinking that it was some kind of wilderness survival book (the girl on the front is wearing this giant parka, looks very icey, etc.) - which is not what I've been in the mood for.

But, during Rez Reads, I left my book at home one day, so I decided to pick up "Sun and Moon..." and see what it was actually about.

To my surprise, it's actually a very cool re-telling of a Nordic fairy tale...and also has elements of Beauty and the Beast. A little bit of romance, a little bit of magic/folklore, and characters that you really grow to like...it all adds up to a great read. I give it 4 out of 5 on my Rez Reads book review form.

So, shame on me for not trying it sooner...perhaps that's the next list I should create: Great books with not-so-great covers!

Marked ~ P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Although Marked is not on the Rez Reads "Books with Bite" list, it is the first book in the "House of Night" series...book 2, Betrayed, is on the list and I can't wait to read it.

I have to say, of the three fantasy/faery/vampire series that I've just started (City of Bones, Wicked Lovely) this one is my favourite so far.

Unlike the other 2 series, there is no separation between the supernatural/magical world and the real world. In Marked, everyone knows that vampires (vampyres) exist...although no one knows why some humans are marked and go through "the change". Also, vampyres are not inherently evil...they are merely different, supernatural. Once a person is marked, they go off to the House of Night...a school for vampyres (sort of a Hogwarts for vampyres)...for guidance through the change, instruction on the history and their developing powers. Unfortunately, not all students who are marked will graduate...there's also a distinct possibility that their bodies will reject the change, and they will die.

At the beginning of the book, Zoey Redbird is marked...although she seems to be going through the change differently than most of the other students - her mark is a special one, and she seems to be more more powerful than the other students. The kids in the "popular crowd" - the Dark Daughters - are less than impressed.

I think what I liked most about this book was that the story wasn't about the vampires and the magic...that was just part of the story. It was much more about the characters...kind of like a realistic teen novel (a la Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants) where everyone just happens to be a vampire. I am looking forward to seeing where Zoey's story is leading in Betrayed because although Marked is not a cliff hanger, it certainly didn't feel finished.

And now I feel like I need to read something outside of the fantasy/magic/supernatural realm...so look for something completely different in my next post.

Wicked Lovely ~ Melissa Marr

I'm in a fantasy/magic phase for my summer reading. Like City of Bones, Wicked Lovely takes place in a current-day urban setting...but this book felt much more "magical" to me - less gritty (although it had suspense and thrills galore!) and more faerie tale.

Aislinn can see faeries, who live among us but are usually only seen when they put on glamours, to appear as humans. Aislinn, however, can see them all the time. But these faeries are dangerous, mischevious, and generally like to create havock for humans.

The Summer King, Keenan, is searching for his Summer Queen to try and defeat the Winter Queen, Beira...but unless the girl he chooses is destined to be this queen, she is consumed by the chill of the Winter Queen's staff...no matter how much he loves the girl. Keenan meets Aislinn and her life forever alters...her mortality begins to fade as she must decide what her future holds.

I loved the slightly unexpected ending that sets it apart from a typical faery tale...and I've put the next book in the series "Ink Exchange" on hold at the library. This series would also fit perfectly on the "Magic in the Real World" list.

I also think this would make an amazing movie! Here's a question for you...after you've read Wicked Lovely, who do you think would be great to star in the movie version? Send me your dream cast (for the characters of Aislinn, Keeran, Seth, Dania and Beira) in the comments or by email.

City of Bones ~ Cassandra Clare

I just finished reading my first summer reading book, from our "Books with Bite" list. "City of Bones" is the first installment in the series "The Mortal Instruments" by Cassandra Clare...and let me tell you, I can't wait to read the next one!

Here's part of the description from the inside cover of the book:
"When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly epxects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon..."

It had the perfect mix of action, magic/fantasy - but set in the real world of current-day New York City - and just a dash of romance. It is a whopping 485 pages, but worth every page.

If I were to list other "readalikes" - books that if you liked one, you'll probably like the other - I would put it alongside:

• Twilight series - Stephanie Meyer
• Blue Girl - Charles de Lint
• Tithe, Valiant, Ironside - Holly Black
• Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling

It fits perfectly on the "Magic in the Real World" list, that I posted earlier. And don't worry, we'll definitely be adding this series to the Library @ Rez!

I've already filled out my Rez Recommends book review (and will add it to the Rez Recommends binder that you can check out when you come back to school) and have put "City of Ashes" (book #2 in the series) on hold at the public library. Now onto another from YALSA's Top 10 nominations (Books with Bite) list...stay tuned for a post to see what I read next...

Magic in the Real World

This list is one of the 2008 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults lists, put together by the Young Adult Library Association (YALSA). These books answer the question "What would life be like if magic really existed?" - in today's world.

I've only listed those titles that we have here in the Rez Library, and included a description of each book. Enjoy!

• The Blue Girl ~ Charles de Lint (FIC DEL)
  New at her high school, Imogene enlists the help of her introverted friend Maxine and the ghost of a boy who haunts the school after receiving warnings through her dreams that soul-eaters are threatening her life. Winner of the 2006 White Pine award...and one of my favourites!

• Devilish ~ Maureen Johnson (FIC JOH)
  Jane Jarvis, a senior at a Catholic girl's school in Providence, Rhode Island, tries to save her best friend by making a pact with a demon--in the form of a cupcake-eating, very friendly teenage girl.
  
• The Lightning Thief ~ Rick Riordan (FIC RIO)
  After learning that he is the son of a mortal woman and Poseidon, god of the sea, twelve-year-old Percy is sent to a summer camp for demigods like himself, and joins his new friends on a quest to prevent a war between the gods.
  
• Magic or Madness ~ Justine Larbalestier (FIC LAR)
  From the Sydney, Australia home of a grandmother she believes is a witch, fifteen-year-old Reason Cansino is magically transported to New York City, where she discovers that friends and foes can be hard to distinguish.
  
• Midnighters: The Secret Hour ~ Scott Westerfeld (FIC WES)
  Upon moving to Bixby, Oklahoma, fifteen-year-old Jessica Day learns that she is one of a group of people who have special abilities that help them fight ancient creatures living in an hour hidden at midnight; creatures that seem determined to destroy Jess.
  
• Now You See It ~ Vivian Vande Velde (FIC VAN)
  With Wendy's new glasses, she begins to see cheerful corpses, old crones disguised as teeny-boppers, and portals to another world--a place where everyone knows of the glasses' powers and will do anything they can to get them.

• Raven’s Gate: The Gatekeepers, Book One ~ Anthony Horowitz (FIC HOR)
  Sent to live in a foster home in a remote Yorkshire village, Matt, a troubled fourteen-year-old English boy, uncovers an evil plot involving witchcraft and the site of an ancient stone circle. By the author of the "Alex Rider" series.
  
• Temping Fate ~ Esther Friesner (FIC FRI)
  Ilana Newhouse's quirky sense of style and humor leave her unable to find a summer job in her small Connecticut town until she stumbles upon the Divine Relief Temp Agency and ends up working for the Three Fates, making friends with Arachne, and trying out the powers of her employers with chaotic results.

• Valiant: A Modern Tale of Faerie ~ Holly Black (FIC BLA)
  Seventeen-year-old Val runs away to New York City, where she falls in with a gang of squatters who live in the city's subway system and consort with faeries, trolls, and other strange creatures. Be sure to also check out "Tithe" (book 1) and "Ironside" (book 3).

• The Warrior Heir ~ Cinda Williams Chima (FIC CHI)
  After learning about his magical ancestry and his own warrior powers, sixteen-year-old Jack embarks on a training program to fight enemy wizards. Also try the sequel, called "The Wizard Heir."